Atlanta Daily World

The Grand Jury Hands Out Sound
Doctrine

It was timely for the Fulton County Grand Jury to include in
its presentments such a factor as the importance of more registration and voting.

In times like these when a government with our system must
rely heavily on the proper consent of the governed, those in
charge of the franchise have not discharged their duty until they
become referees in the contest by which our laws are made and
the men to govern our destinies are chosen.

The sparse voting on election days in our state has drawn
the criticism of those who see by the papers that fewer people
vote in this one-party regime in Georgia than in many of the
populous counties in some other sections of the country. Too
a government by the consent of the governed cannot obtain when
a portion of those governed are failing to keep their obligation.

We are coming up to a national election; the most important since 1860 and such an election should not be decided carelessly and by the few who might have political scruples.

On our part, we have shown a voter turn-out on election
day of some 85%. That is a fine batting average where only 15%
fail to turn out and vote.

There are no basic restrictions here in this county to keep
people from voting. They can register with ease and without incident. The 18-year-olds can register and there are those in
school becoming of voting age every day.

While it is too late to vote in the election a week off from
Tuesday, there are no reasons for one to delay until the eve of
another election in getting registered.

**2
The question of peace rises above all of the burning issues
before the country. Without the peace all of our civil rights
would be washed up.

Secondly, the question of complete elimination of segregation is in the offing. This election might have to do with the routing all over the country of the evil which is seeing service in
undermining our strength in the UN, drawing daily criticism from
other nations as a means of fostering their selfish and un-American ends.

The Grand Jury is also to be commended in recommending
a strict scrutiny over the appointment by the sheriff of special
deputies. Well it has been said that these two thousand odd
deputies are in excess of the demand for them and that some
merely desire the appointment in order to be toting a pistol
around.

Surely these are no times for deputies to be appointed indiscriminately to harass and abuse the orderly procession of law
abiding people.

Yes, we say close scrutiny should be the means by which
such men as are needed and capable will be given such commissions.

Let the populace fully realize the importance of voting at
this time and that the deciding of this election might be by a
few votes - such as the 2,000 odd margin in California by which
Woodrow Wilson came to the presidency over the late Justice
Charles Evan Hughes in 1916.

Now, for an all time turnout in the coming election. Just a
few votes might tilt this state and the state's 12 electoral votes
conceivably may decide who shall be president.